Commando Archive
Thread: My Vision of a SWG Commando
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BravenIrish
Fri May 21, 2004 4:23 pm
#1
Honestly.
I've read and read all the posts refering to what WE should be. Many theories. Many thoughts. Speculation. And lot's of anticipation. We agree on many things, yet we disagree. The whole SWG community agrees on many things, yet they disagree as well. Damn guys. What are we? We have yet to find out. But, I'd like to extend my vision of COMMANDO in Star Wars Galaxies...the game.
Let's get past the true definition of Commando. We can NEVER be that. If we were, we would never truely have a spot in this game. If we used that to the letter, there would be Jedi, Bounty Hunters, maybe a few crafters, and the rest all Commando. No way I say! We've been through WAY too much to have us as the FOTW. No way. We need to be special in some way...agree?
I hope so. So if you understand that, maybe you'll hear me out on this one...and maybe it's off beat. Maybe you'll like it. Maybe...who knows, but I belive in expessing my self the right way, and wish to share my thought with you.
I want a SWG Commando to be the most and best trained SOLDIER in SWG. Commandos are the best troops. Commandos are the specialized military in SWG. Highly trained, highly disciplined, and used to combat in a military sence. THE BEST. But let's look at what this means.
Should we be the best at One on One PVP? Nope..that's a Bounty Hunters job. Should we be the best at "supporting" a PVP group? Maybe, but that's a Combat Medics job...as well as a Doc, Rifleman, Carboneer...whatever. How about PVE? Should we be the best at that? (Sorry... I read some fool post that PVE was our specialty and I was just so amazed I didn't post..but) Hell NO! Bottom line is that we are soldiers. Not great 1 on 1. Not a push over 1 on 1. But in a group...almost any group..we shine!
On that note. My proposal...
Commandos HIT HARD at EXPENSE of DEFENCE.
That's right. We should be the hardest hitting. The most damage bearing profession hands down at expence of our defence. How can I justify this view? Many want the best defence in the game due to our skill dump and prerequisits...No! Our skill dump is for Offence..and has always been intended that way. Solo, we are not the best. Together, we can rock! Especially with our extra Skill Points. We can Master Commando AND have a Specialty...like TKA or Rifleman. With a team, we can be feared again. How can this be achieved without the cries of constant NERF? Simple.
We will justify our skill points that we need to achieve Novice. Except for weapon certifications, we get all the same skill modsas Novice Rifleman, Carbineer, Pistoleer, and TKA get. That's right off the bat. Now, to me it seems that an "elite" squad or soldier shoud have a specialty. Come on guys, everyone in an elite squad has thier own specialty, and we have the skill points to achieve that. You can be an Unarmed Specialist. You can be a Sniper. It's your choice! But to make Commando balanced, fun, and worthwhile...we need to have something that is awesome, yet risky. Depending on your playstyle...and who you are.
To achieve this, SOE has to revamp Commando. SOE has to define our role. Let's help them!
Field Tactics: The Grenadeer
The use of grenades is essental. You will understand how to use variouse grenades to thier best effectiveness (meaning that range is optimal at start and the distance you can throw these buggars increases as you increase in the Field Tactics tree). Your basic grenade will be the Frag.
As you move up the ranks you will learn the imporatnce of Ranged Defence. You will also certify in other types of Grenades and Anti-Personel explosives. You will also train in SPECIALS that increase your effective use of them. For example, at Field TacticsII you learn how to do a Corner Toss (allowing you to toss a grenade around a corner without exposing yourself). At Field TacticsIV you learn how to set a Trip Wire (an option available to essentally set a grenade as a trap). Grenades should have status effects. At Master level, these become more effective.
As you move up the ranks you will learn the imporatnce of Ranged Defence. You will also certify in other types of Grenades and Anti-Personel explosives. You will also train in SPECIALS that increase your effective use of them. For example, at Field TacticsII you learn how to do a Corner Toss (allowing you to toss a grenade around a corner without exposing yourself). At Field TacticsIV you learn how to set a Trip Wire (an option available to essentally set a grenade as a trap). Grenades should have status effects. At Master level, these become more effective.
Heavy Weapon Support: The Demolitionist
Of course heavy damamge ranged support is our baby! Here we learn how to use expendable ranged Heavy Weapons. They hit hard and are devastating to armored vehicles especially! Yet we are VERY exposed to use them. Nice trade off. We start with the rocket launcher and move up from there with MORE EFFECTIVE weapons. We will also learn a few cool tricks...at Heavy Weapons SupportIII we learn the use of a Door Breech (Crafted by Weaponsmiths) that destroy locked doors. We don't slice em...we blow em up!
At Master level, we gain the ability to set explosives. Enemy Breech is the ability to destroy an enemy defensive structures (Turrets) 100%.
Flamethrower (Renamed to Liquid Deployment Weaponry): The Shock Trooper
"You get too close...YOU BURN!". These are our last line of offencive defence. We combine the HAR and Flamer to have devistsating effects CLOSE RANGE. Depending on the situation, we use the Flamer or Har. Both equall in DOT and DAMAGE, but not our first choice as a Commando. One has devistating HEAT damage/DOT, the other has devisting ACID damage/DOT. Come on guys...No one really like to hear the command "Fix Bayonetts". Most of us like to keep the enemy at length...except for Commando/TKA specialists! But that's another story.
And now we come to OUR bread and butter...
Heavy Weaponry: Heavy Infantry
WOW! Our new tree. At level one we get a cool special for our LP. Savo. This special hits multiple targets with limited damage and a time delay. Our lil LP shoots small guided missels and hit 100%. Nice in a group, yet solo, this special isn't that good. Let's move on to Heavy WeaponryII.
We finally get a new cool cert and weapon. The DC-17a Assult rifle. This baby is like our own Carbine. Rapid shot three round burst is the default attact...but it get's better.
At Heavy WeaponryIII, we get a cool new special For our DC-17a...Ambush Shot. Normally, the DC-17a is a med. ranged weapon like the carbine...yet with Ambush Shot, we increase our effective range to 65m. Not a great special in it's own right, but with a few Commandos and the DC-17a, a nice long ranged volly of rapid rounds can be devistating.
And what we've all been waiting for...Heavy WeaponryIV. We get 2 cool things here...our last DC-17a special and cert for the e-web. Full Auto is the special similar to our LP Savo, but it's for the DC-17a...hit's everything all the time but the damage is reduced. Does more damamge then Savo, but less then if we use a normal 3 round burst on one target. Not bad in a group, yet somewhat ineffective solo.
E-web is a weapon that we can now deploy. With this cert and the assistance of a SL, we can set up this weapon. At master level, our effectiveness with the e-web increases substantually.
There ya have it folks!
My Vision of a SWG Commando isn't the best solo. Depending on his "Specialty" he can hold his own alone. In a group, he's awesome. A close group of 4-5 Commandos can do a lot of damage...but take one of them alone and say he's MCommando/TKM. He'll do well vs another TKM, but would have a very hard time vs a MRifleman. All Commandos alone should fear seeing a Bounty Hunter with a weapon aimed at them, yet a solo BH should run at the site of a Commando Squad on patroll!
GIVE US OFFENCE OR GIVE US DEATH!
The Commando is a Group Oriented Powerhouse...BEST Offence, Average-Low Defence.
Whattya guys think? Can you help the idea grow with comments and criticizms? Thanks guys...had to let it out!
Slainte'
MasterTexiria
Sat May 22, 2004 7:55 am
#2
I like this. Good job BravenIrish,As a MSL I really like the class interdependencies (for the eweb).
TheDarkmoons
Sat May 22, 2004 10:12 am
#3
I always wanted to be a Commando or Bounty Hunter.
Then I found both were useless compared to Melee professions.
5* for this amazing ideas post.
Aation
Sat May 22, 2004 11:00 pm
#6
Very well put, BravenIrish... I feel you didnt just hit hard on the point of making an effective and fun profession, but also on what an MMORPG should be about, a multi-person experience. You alsogave to the person who likes to solo. You have my name as backup if you ever rally to put this into effect somehow. Take care.
Katana_Blade
Sun May 23, 2004 4:51 am
#7
good post. One problem....I've experssed this once before on the forums and seen this numerous times. When you change heavy weapons Dont make them expendable. This is a nuisance and a credit sink. They hit hard BUT fir slow. This should be the trade off not "the hit hard but fire slow and you only get 25 shots before you have a to buy a new one." With expendable heavy weapons not only is it a nuisance for us to use, but also crafters dont want to make them. I have the hardest time finding crafters on bria that make decent rocket launchers. Dont make heavy weapons expendable.
kenrw24
Mon May 24, 2004 9:48 pm
#9
so we're supposed to be great in a group and mediocre on our own.
sounds like loads of fun.
great, we'll have no fun on our own due to our self-imposed mediocrity and we'll be shunned from groups because we'll "shine" so much we'll suck the experience away from everyone else.
mmmmmm.......no. no thank you.
i agree we are supposed to be highly trained, effective soldiers. but the top soldiers, the commandos, should be trained to self-sufficiency as well as how to function in teams. an army of however many it takes to complete the objective.
sorry, but in this case i prefer the old arguments-build on the skills that got us to commando, don't forget the pistol, carbine, rifle and unarmed. add to those as well as adding the heavy weapons and fully functional grenades. add some more demolition skills. that, in a nutshell, would make me a happy commando most likely.
of course, no matter how good anyone has it, there's always something to complain about!
Wacoede
Tue May 25, 2004 6:20 am
#10
THIS IS GREAT
i love this vision of commando pls garvin sticky this so it dont get lost and pls present this to the dev's this gives us more reason to group and interact with other's
but also make heavy weapons non-expenable or maybe a ammo loading type of weapon where the range mod stats are on the case but the damage stats are on the 'ammo' and you buy the 'case' once and then buy 'ammo' (which should be easier to make than current system's) to replenish the weapon
Raptor2k1
Tue May 25, 2004 7:02 pm
#11
Having played games before where certain classes are balanced to be group-oriented, I can honestly say that I don't really like the idea as much as others.
Though I agree that we should be effective when grouped, we should still be effective while alone as well. One of the worst things you can do for a profession is to lock it into a single, specific role. I would rather that commando be balanced so that we are equally effective at both realms of play, and that it would be up to the player to decide how they wanted to play the class given their current situation.
Vampirerobot
Thu May 27, 2004 8:34 am
#13
this sounds pretty awesome. I totally agree that Commandos should be heavy on the offense and extremely good rank and file soldiers.
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